It was on 1 February 1950 that Gene Markey’s Production for London Films of ‘The Wonder Kid’ was reported as being scheduled to go into Isleworth Studios on 6 February for four weeks studio work to complete the shooting following location work in the Tyrol and Vienna.

Newcomer Christa Winter arrived in England – but there were no other members of the Austrian cast needed.

The first week’s shooting was to be occupied with scenes showing Robert Shackleton, Christa Winter, Muriel Aked and Elwyn Brook-Jones.

Bob Krasker the lighting cameraman whose work on ‘The Third Man’ contributed so much to that film’s success has been assigned to camera work on ‘The Wonder Kid’

February 15th 1950

Karl Hartl directing the film moved into it’s second week – the first week having been taken up with shooting on a composite Salzburg Hotel set, comprising lounge, bedroom, and music room. Bob Krasker’s camera covered scenes between Elwyn Brook-Jones as Gorik, the Wonder Kid’s manager and his secretary played by June Elvin and also between Muriel Aked as Miss Frisbee, the Governess and Paul Hardtmuth as Professor Bindl the music master.

Another member of the cast was a large, amiable Alsation dog having taken over the role of Lowe, from the German police dog used on the Tyrol locations

It often can be a nightmare for any Studio Art Director to match up the location footage to the studio sets so this had to be done carefully and the task fell to Joseph Bato. An even more difficult task was taken on by George Gresty the scenic artist who was called on to provide a large painted backing seen through the window of the Hotel in Salzburg. He had one small photograph to guide him and yet produced a Tyrolean mountainside scene on his vast canvas.

Karl Hartl the Director – over a week – had been shooting scenes on three sets. Credit is due to the Studio staff carpenters, plasterers and painters all ensured that the sets were ready.

After these scenes, Hartl continued for two days on the exterior set of the mountain chalet reconstructed from photographs taken of the location for love scenes between Christa Winter and Robert Shackleton.

It seems the Studio shooting lasted little more than three weeks

BELOW is a portion of a comment left on the imdb site – I suspect I know who has written it :-

This now unjustly forgotten little film is thoroughly entertaining and wonderful to watch and definitely deserves to be restored properly and released on DVD. Apart from the truly picturesque scenery, Bobby Henrey’s performance as the cruelly exploited child prodigy who moves from misery to happiness is just wonderful. Highly recommended.

The Wonder Kid was actually released here in 1952. 

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The Wonder Kid – Pictured again with that lovely dog.

Stephen Boyd and Dolores Hart “Romance on the Run”- Movie Mirror September, 1960

We often hear that Dolores Hart was the girl who kissed Elvis – and speculation often comes back to any romance that might have been there – but in fact there was no romance at all. It was most likely because she was in love with another actor – Stephen Boyd.

Dolores Hart and Stephen Boyd were good friends after making “Lisa” together in 1961. They had previously worked together on an excellent World War 1 TV romance called “To the Sound of Trumpets”, which aired on February 9, 1960 on television for Playhouse 90. In Dolores’ autobiography The Ear of the Heart she describes working with Boyd on “To the Sound of Trumpets” :

Stephen Boyd and Dolores Hart

Dolores Hart said: Stephen was an amazingly gentle man for his brawn and size. He wasn’t tall but had substantial bulk- which I was gratefully aware of when he had to carry me. Most of my scenes were with Stephen, and we were frequently together for publicity interviews and photo layouts. But we also seemed to seek out each other’s company in private time. When I was working, I usually didn’t date, but on LISA, I saw Stephen for supper almost every night.

At first, Stephen found it difficult to open up, but gradually he became willing to speak about his private life. When I was agonizing over Mom’s fall off the wagon, he told me I shouldn’t waste my time shaking my fist at her. He admitted that he had also had a problem with alcohol and bluntly said that I couldn’t help my mother, that only she could help herself. He had stopped drinking only when he wanted to.

I found him deeply spiritual. We had many discussions about religion, in a general way, but occasionally we spoke of Catholicism. Stephen was adamant that although he was genuinely interested in the broad spectrum of religion, he was not attracted to any specific church. He would come to change that stand.

Our dinners grew to two and a half hours of soul-searching and reaching out, which Stephen acknowledged as a gift of understanding. Most men are dominant and directive. They’re threatened by a woman’s inner sense of authority. Stephen could expose his vulnerability. He let me show my authority. It didn’t make him feel less masculine. They are threatened by a woman’s inner sense of authority. Stephen could expose his vulnerability. He let me show my authority. It didn’t make him feel less masculine. I was grateful for his trust and began to feel that our relationship has a potential future.

By the time we got to London, I knew my feelings for Stephen had gone as far as they could go on a friendship level. I felt I had an obligation to indicate I was ready to move to a more personal one. Up to this point, there hadn’t even been a kiss. Not that I had never kissed Stephen, but it had never been that kind of a kiss.

One evening, returning from one of our walks in Saint James’ Park, we stopped at the front door as we had so many evenings, and I suddenly said, “Stephen, would you like to come in?” He looked at me and said, “Yes.” He leaned forward to kiss me, but the kiss was placed on my forehead. “Yes,” he repeated, “but you’re marked. Don’t you know that?” I was confused. I felt hurt. Had I exposed my vulnerability, my trust, only to be rejected? I wondered what he had meant by saying I was ‘marked’, but I didn’t ask for an explanation then. I never did. Our dinners and talks continued, but we never mentioned that evening. When the film was over, our lives moved apart. But I heard his voice–“You’re marked”- often.

Dolores would go on to become a nun at the Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut in 1963.

I walked in the woods and sat in the sunny green fields watching lazy clouds overhead and wondering whether I would be able to come to grips with my life….I pondered a strange new awakening in my heart that cried for explanation…Yet I couldn’t get Stephen’s words out of my head: “You’re marked.” He had spoken softly but with such sureness….I was allowed to take two called that just happened to come in during my period of free time. Neither was monitored. One was from Elvis..the other call was from Stephen Boyd, who tried to sound supportive but, I could tell, was not thrilled with my move. He promised to visit as soon as it was permitted.

Stephen did indeed come to visit Dolores at the Abbey in early 1966, after he attend the premiere of The Oscar in New York City.

It was not a comfortable reunion. It was obvious that Stephen had a difficult time dealing with the grille. He later admitted it was like seeing me in prison. He told me he had become interested in Scientology. Remembering his distaste for organized religions, I cautioned him to think twice before getting too involved. He left the parlor quite abruptly, but instead of going to his apartment in the guesthouse, he drove right back to New York. He did not visit again, but we continued to correspond…(In 1970) he announced his plans to become an active member of the organization (Church of Scientology) and said that his life and mine could never find a crossing point, which saddened me. Stephen died of a heart attack in 1977.

Viewing “To the Sound of Trumpets” at the Paley Center for Media in NYC

PLAYHOUSE 90: TO THE SOUND OF TRUMPETS

After Stephen Boyd and Hart had starred in the TV Program “To The Sound of Trumpets” 1960, their press agents got them together for two separate magazine layouts to push their career visibility. This took place a year and a half before they filmed “Lisa” together. Below are pictures from these two photo shoots. One was labelled “Boyd Meets Girl” from Movie Life Magazine June 1960, and the other was called “Romance on the Run” from Movie Mirror Magazine in September of 1960.

“Boyd Meets Girl”

Screenland 1960 Magazine Photos regarding Boyd, titled “Love Gambler”

“Romance on the Run”

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Above photos from Screenland Magazine, November 1960.

Movie Mirror September 1960 Layout Below.

This film was shown on Talking Pictures this morning 21 July 2026

Anthony Asquith is the Director who does a really good job with this British wartime film with a thrilling climax.

These stills were taken from a Colorised Version that I came across

In the cast is Leslie Banks playing a scientist whose plans are so important to the British government that the Germans are working night and day to intercept them . Who could forget Leslie Banks in another Wartime classic ‘Went the Day Well?’ which came a little after this one – fact it was released the following year 1942

Leslie Banks’ daughter (Carla Lehmann) provides the romantic interest with Michael Wilding although she also shows interest in wounded soldier (John Mills).

John Mills’ character is convalescing at the family home after an injury.

Carla Lehmann is playing nurse, so of course, she spends time with Mills, which annoys Michael Wilding. This subplot becomes increasingly important, because John Mills is working for the Germans.

Meanwhile Leslie Banks’ wife (Jeanne de Casalis) has rented a room in the family’s nearby cottage to a mysterious stranger (Alastair Sim).

We learn that Alistair Sim is working for the Germans – or is he ?

The twist, is that Sim is actually a British spy sent to the area to fool the German organisation and counteract what Mills is doing.

In a very clever scene we do find out that he is actually a British agent – then the fun starts !!

Another character is evacuee (George Cole, in his first screen role at the age of 16) who has been sent here during the blitz. Cole is good as a know-it-all boy who tells Banks how to conduct his experiments, and who ends up helping Banks and Patch when Mills takes them hostage.

I must say now that I am not at all a fan of George Cole – I don’t know why but I am not

The last scene in which John Mills’ character is apprehended by Alistair Sim is amazingly well-played and full of unsettling images and tension SEE BELOW

I must say that I do like the colorised version – it makes the film well worth viewing

This man dominated the film popularity charts for longer than almost anyone else in Britain from the 30 s through into the mid forties. His films played to packed houses wherever the films were shown – and later when they came on Television they again attracted big audiences.

I remember Phyllis Calvert who appeared with him in one of his films saying that off-screen he seemed a quiet, almost dull man BUT when the cameras began to role, he became alive – she admired his style and recalls a complicated scene where George sings in front on a large audience and this took a number of ‘takes’ because one of the actors failed to come in with his line at the right time – but she says that George did the scene – singing the song – again and again and his timing was always perfect

After his last film ‘George in Civvy Street’ in 1946 he went back to ‘live’ theatre and in the early fifties he had a smash hit in London’s West End with ‘Zip Goes a Million’ at the Palace Theatre

What a happy face George has got.

I remember the duet he did with Sarah Gregory ‘ Ordinary People’ – quite an appealing song

After World War II, public tastes changed and George Formby stepped away from films and recording, instead touring the Commonwealth and continuing to entertain audiences worldwide.

In 1951, George took on the lead role of Percy Piggott in the West End musical Zip Goes A Million, based on Brewster’s Millions. Despite his worries that London audiences wouldn’t warm to his style, the show became a huge success, opening at the Palace Theatre and earning widespread praise for its humour, music and spectacle.

Although ill health forced George to leave the production after six months, the show went on to achieve an impressive 544 performances, cementing its place in British theatre history.

In the mid fiftes Bruce Seton starred as Fabian in a Television series ‘Fabian of Scotland Yard’ and the exciting opening sequence had Inspector Fabian seated in the rear seat of a Humber Hawk with a microphone to his mount saying in a terse voice ‘ This is Fabian – Of Scotland Yard’

Shot on film (rather than transmitted live from the studio as was the norm at the time) with Bruce Seton, stiff upper lip clamped on a pipe, as the dedicated Fabian

ABOVE – Bruce Seton as Fabian of Scotland Yard

Now I mention the car being the Humber Hawk and I was reminded of this whilst at a local Agricultural Show today, seeing, among the Vintage Cars arena, a Humber Super Snipe – but a convertible – a car I have never seen before.

1 9 5 4 – 1 9 5 6 (UK)
39 x 30 minute episodes

This legendary British police show from the 1950s – fictionalised cases of Scotland Yard’s real-life Detective Inspector Fabian.

Originally transmitted in the popular Saturday night slot, Fabian of the Yard was later moved to Wednesday – I do recall it in the mid week slot

The show was sold to America, where it was screened as Inspector Fabian of Scotland Yard or – in reference to the hero’s black Humber Hawk – Patrol Car.

A few episodes were edited together to make feature-length productions released in cinemas: Fabian Of The Yard (1954) and Handcuffs, London (1955).

Bruce Seton died, aged 60, in September 1969 at his home in London after a period of ill health. 

I liked Bruce Seton – and liked him as Fabian – and I always think that he should have had a much more high profile career than he did

An agngel flying over a Devon village is shot down by the local vicar – who only wings him – and so the angel takes up residence in the Vicarage and during his stay in the village observes so much !!

This is from an H G Wells story and was produced as the Sunday Play and broadcast ‘live’ on Sunday 3 February 1952 and repeated the following Thursday – again ‘live’

Kenneth Williams – then a straight actor took the role as The Angel

Because I was so young when this was transmitted I cannot recall much about it although I do recall seeing it.

Since starting to write this post, I have managed to purchase the BBC Radio play of ‘The Wonderful Visit’ and have listened to it so now know the story well.

When the angel is shot down, he ends up residing at the Vicarage where the Vicar starts to understand just who he is – realising that he is indeed an angel but the Doctor who treats him is much more sceptical. Eventually though he is taken aback by the speed the angel’s wings heal, but still is not friendly.

The Angel unnerves the villagers with one exception – a young local maid called Delia who falls in love with him.

The other villagers prove to be cruel towards him. The angel cannot believe how unpleasant the world of humans can be but his love of Delia is such a saving grace

The ending is tragic and yet, happy in that the angel and Delia are together forever.

I did really like ‘The Wonderful Visit’ written by H G Wells

Every so often I seem to come across more details on this one of my favourite films.

Starting on Monday 28 April 1952 this BBC Radio presentation of the Disney ‘Robin Hood’ went out on BBC Radio The Light Programme in FIVE daily half hour episodes finishing on 1 May 2026

Much of it consisted of scenes and music from the film

Richard Todd and Joan Rice appeared along with Elton Hayes and many of the cast BUT Donald Gray was brought in as Little John – so the loud voice of James Robertson Justice was out – he apparently had other work on or so he said – and Susan Richards played Queen Eleanor in the absence of the wonderful Martita Hunt.

The Production was titled ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ and this was broadcast just about the time that the film went out on General Release – a term that many of us are familiar with because once a film Premiere had taken place it usually took up to 6 weeks before it was showing in Lincolnshire where I live

I remember going to the local cinema to see this film – The Maverick Queen. I often get this film mixed up with another Barbara Stanwyck film a couple of years earlier ‘Cattle Queen of Montana’ with Ronald Reagan for RKO Pictures

Directed by Joe Kane
Starring Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Scott Brady, Mary Murphy, Wallace Ford, Howard Petrie, Jim Davis, John Doucette

The Maverick Queen (1956) paired Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan a year before Sam Fuller’s Forty Guns. For Republic, this was a pretty lavish picture — color, widescreen and location work in Silverton, Colorado.

”The Maverick Queen introduces Republic’s wide screen process, called Naturama.

Republic reportedly spent two years developing this anamorphic system. (Its projection aspect ratio of 2.35 to 1 is somewhat narrower than that of CinemaScope). Thus equipped, the film has plenty of room to show, in colour, and the wide open spaces of Colorado, where it was made.

It’s ironic that since its original release, Naturama has not been seen at it’s best but that’s about to change. It’s coming to Blu-Ray — from a 4K scan of the original camera negative.

Director Joe Kane: “The studio was scraping the bottom of the barrel to get a big moneymaker and they finally let me have colour and Naturama and Barbara Stanwyck… It was a real pleasure to work with a grand trouper like Barbara Stanwyck. She’d do anything.

Other films in Naturama

Other films in Naturama – not that well remembered though

Other films in Naturama

Other films in Naturama

Films in Naturama

A few weeks ago, we concentated on the Pirates along with Long John Silver who are getting nearer and nearer to the treasure and for this sequence the the location was nearby Black Park in Buckinghamshire.

Among heavy foliage and ferns, Robert Newton led his band of cut-thropats along the banks of a leaf strewn lagoon until theu fin d the pine tree described by Capatinn Flint on his map.

The filming here in Black Park on a hot summer day, provided and un-expected for a group of children from Bethnal Green who were on a camping holiday here. They were all amazed at the sight lof this band on pirates striding aroun d very near their camp – they formed an interested audience behind the camera.

Long John Silverr’s famous parrot Captain Flint came in for much attention as her perched on Robert Newton’s shoulder.

Here is Cap’n Flint ABOVE – with Bobby Driscoll in a posed still while they were filming Treasure Island.

Among the guests visiting the set this week had been Lady Tedder wife of Lord Tedder Chief of the Air Staff and Marshall of the RAF.

The Disney’s had met Lord and Lady Tedder in Hollywood during or just after the War where Walt Disney had been producing a special RAF film with their advice. They had all become fiends.

Filming of scenes of the Hispaniola under the direction of Russell LLoyd continued in and around Falmouth in Cornwall.

Walt Disney and his family had boarded ‘the Queen Elizabeth’ Liner and sailed off on their way back home in mid August – around the time that these sequences were being completed.

BELOW: Details of week ending 24 August 1949 fiming :-